Public health covers a lot of topics and not just the prevention of infectious diseases but also means a safe workplace, healthy foods, healthy mothers and babies. Besides health, it also includes improving living conditions and behavior that affects human health. In bachelor, master, or research degrees, the students learn to undertake educational policies to promote healthy living, create new health policies, and research public health issues. Public health professionals evaluate the social, economic, and medical factors that will impact the wellbeing of the public. The careers open in this field include being a public health manager, epidemiologist, health care administrator, and health informatics specialist. There are degree programs in biostatistics, public health, epidemiology, and other related fields. They also study the relationship between culture and health, explore the various design and implementation of health programs, and focus on the general well-being of the general population. Careers in public health focus on communicable diseases right up to environmental hazards. One can be employed in different capacities with the work that suit each and every applicant the best. For becoming a public health professional in the country, the minimum required education is upper-level graduation at least a master’s in public health. The undergraduate degrees are not offered. Many colleges in the country offer bachelors of sciences or arts in public health. There are no standalone undergraduate degrees but they do offer certificate programs minor or major in a complementary degree program. Some graduates in this field do research and also collect data and do analysis. While some get into administration, management likes the government agencies, City planner’s office, community medical center, and HMOs office. The rest take on the role of educators and policymakers in federal legislative committees, non-profit organizations, consumer advocacy organizations, or federal legislative committee. Through health policies, education, and research, epidemiologists try to reduce negative health impact and outcomes and investigate the causes of diseases and patterns that cause injury in humans. A medical service manager may manage a health facile department located in a hospital or organization. A health educator will help to evaluate, implement and monitor a health program that will help communities, families, and individuals maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. There is a vast range of career options with the graduates in public health, potential salary is hard to fix unless you want a specific career. Some average annual incomes you can expect with this degree are
- An epidemiologist earns around $69,660
- A health educator earns around $53,940
- A medical service manager earns around $98,350
There is a forecast of 5%-25% growth in public health careers till 2024. Most careers in this field will grow faster and the median income will exceed average. The curricula focus on education making sure that they have knowledge of all the health specializations, and also understand the various disciplines in public health. You need a solid foundation in the undergrad studies in public health. It will help you prepare the workforce. The program should fit your desire. If lab work or field work interests you then you should focus on analyzing and compiling of data.